One in five SHA employees still unvaccinated as mandate looms - Regina Leader-Post

But employees still have time to get the shot, since the health authority won't require proof until November.

Author of the article:

Arthur White-Crummey

Publishing date:

Oct 01, 2021  •  35 minutes ago  •  3 minute read  •  Join the conversation

City Hospital in Saskatoon. Photo by Liam Richards /Saskatoon StarPhoenix

Article content

One in five Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) employees remain unvaccinated as mandates come to the province — but they still have time, since the health system won’t be demanding proof until November.

Article content

“We do not believe that we can provide a safe workplace any longer without our health care teams being fully vaccinated against COVID-19,” Dr. Kevin Wasko, the SHA’s physician executive for integrated rural health, said in a news release.

Wasko further explained the SHA’s proof of vaccine policy in a virtual media appearance Friday, saying that he’s frustrated some health workers have rejected vaccines. In his view, it’s been “long enough.”

“By getting vaccinated, we as health care providers are protecting ourselves, we’re protecting our patients, we’re protecting other members of the community and we’re protecting health system capacity by not falling sick,” Wasko said. “So it is frustrating for the rest of us.”

The estimate that one in five workers are unvaccinated also includes physicians who, though not SHA employees, work in its facilities, as well as all SHA employees, including health professions and other workers like cleaning staff.

Wasko believes that a minority of health workers have resisted vaccination for the same reason a comparable share of the general public have: apathy, uncertainty, and even misinformation. “I don’t think health care workers are immune to any of those effects,” he said.

While bars, restaurants, liquor stores and government ministries are requiring proof of vaccine as of Friday, the SHA is moving more slowly. By Oct. 15, employees must declare their vaccination status, their intention to enrol in a testing program or plans to seek accommodation. Proof will become necessary early next month.

Article content

Wasko said the testing program is only a second-best option.

“Proving that someone doesn’t have COVID on a rapid test prior to a shift is not as good as being vaccinated,” he said. “It absolutely is not an equivalent option, but it is the measure that we will put in place for those who refuse to comply with the policy. And if people refuse to comply with that measure, there will be other consequences.”

Asked why the SHA is waiting until November to fully implement its policy, Wasko noted that the SHA is the largest employer in the province with a staff of about 40,000.

“This is a massive undertaking. We are giving people the time to declare their intentions regarding already being vaccinated, knowing that this is coming in and what would be expected of them,” he said. “So there are multiple moving parts to this, and even being able to administer the monitored testing program is a massive undertaking as well. We want to get that right.”

Wasko said that program will likely involve regular testing prior to any shift at an SHA facility. The employee would be responsible for covering the cost.

In defending its policy, the SHA news release pointed to the “unprecedented stress on our provincial system” as the Delta variant fills hospitals with hundreds of COVID-19 positive patients. Wasko added that some people seeking health services are requesting that only vaccinated health staff care for them. That’s understandable, given that Wasko acknowledged multiple scenarios where unvaccinated health staff have spread COVID-19 either to patients or staff.

“Those are the types of scenarios that we want to prevent,” he said. “The best way to do that is to ensure that our entire workforce is fully vaccinated. That is what we expect.”

awhite-crummey@postmedia.com

The news seems to be flying at us faster all the time. From COVID-19 updates to politics and crime and everything in between, it can be hard to keep up. With that in mind, the Regina Leader-Post has created an Afternoon Headlines newsletter that can be delivered daily to your inbox to help make sure you are up to date with the most vital news of the day. Click here to subscribe.

Adblock test (Why?)

One in five SHA employees still unvaccinated as mandate looms - Regina Leader-Post
Read More

Police charge five men with fraud offences - Royal Canadian Mounted Police

The RCMP/HRP Integrated General Investigation Section of the Criminal Investigation Division charged five men following a fraud investigation.

On September 22, Halifax District RCMP received a report from a business in Westphal advising a fraud occurred on September 16, 2021. A man had used fake identification to purchase a vehicle which was reported as stolen.

On September 23, police located the stolen vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. The four occupants, three men and a woman, were arrested. Several prepaid gift cards were located within the vehicle. The investigation led to the search of two properties on Victoria Rd, in Halifax and a vehicle stop where two men were arrested. Another man was arrested as he was leaving a property being searched. This resulted in the seizure of numerous fake identifications, prepaid cards and evidence to support fraud, identity theft, and possession of stolen property. In total, seven arrests were made without incident. A 21-year-old woman and a 23-year-old man were later released without charges.

Maxime Carpentier, 20 from Quebec, is charged with Identity Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence. He remained in custody and was scheduled to appear in Dartmouth Provincial Court on October 1 at 9:30 a.m.

Dave Jolivet, 20 from Quebec, is charged with Fraud Over $5000, Identify Fraud, Possession of Stolen Property and Conspiracy to Commit and Indictable Offence. He remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in Dartmouth Provincial Court on October 18 at 9:30 a.m.

Mouad Ghiate, 25 from Quebec, is charged with Fraud Under $5000, Identity Theft and Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence. He has been released and is scheduled to appear in Halifax Provincial Court on November 23 at 9:30 a.m.

Mehdi Alaoui, 21 from Quebec, is charged with Fraud Under $5000, Possession of Stolen Property, Uttering a Forged Document and Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence. He remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in Halifax Provincial Court on October 1 at 9:30 a.m.

Mohamed El-Amin Drider, 26 from Quebec, is charged with Fraud Under $5000, Possession of Stolen Property and Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence. He has been released and is scheduled to appear in Halifax Provincial Court on November 23 at 9:30 a.m.

The investigation is ongoing.

File # 21-116630, 21-117204

Adblock test (Why?)

Police charge five men with fraud offences - Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Read More

GM’s US factories will switch to renewable energy five years ahead of schedule - TechCrunch

Earlier this year, GM announced plans to go green by 2035 with the vehicles it produces and by 2030 with how it produces them. Now, the company has announced that it will be early on the “how” part, using 100 percent renewable energy across its US operations by 2025 — five years ahead of schedule.

To achieve the goal, GM said it would increase energy efficiency and source renewables for its facilities. It also plans to create technology to store renewable energy over the medium and long term and “create microgrids that help deploy renewable energy.”

“We know climate action is a priority and every company must push itself to decarbonize further and faster,” said GM Chief Sustainability Officer Kristen Siemen. “That’s what we are doing by aiming to achieve 100 percent renewable energy five years earlier in the US.”

It also detailed plans to work with a company called PJM Interconnection to track energy usage based on carbon output of the grid at any given time. “When the power being supplied consists mostly of fossil fuels, GM can make informed decisions about tapping into stored renewable energy or reduce the amount of power being consumed,” the company said.

As for the vehicles it produces, GM plans to have 30 EVs globally by 2025, and still plans to “eliminate tailpipe emissions for new light-duty vehicles (i.e., cars, SUVs and pickups) by 2035.” The wording suggests that could include hydrogen-powered cars, though GM appears to be focusing mostly on EVs.

GM’s plans to reduce pollution have drifted with the political winds, however. It was one of several automakers that backed the Trump administration’s planto bar California and other states from setting their own pollution and zero-emission requirements. That would have allowed manufacturers to raise fuel efficiency by just 1.5 percent per year, well below the previous administration’s five percent requirement. GM withdrew from the litigation shortly after Joe Biden was elected President.

Editor’s note: This article originally appeared on Engadget.

Adblock test (Why?)

GM’s US factories will switch to renewable energy five years ahead of schedule - TechCrunch
Read More

Five percent of South Simcoe Police employees are still unvaccinated - BradfordToday

The BWG-Innisfil Police Services Board met in-person and via zoom on Wednesday morning, to receive updates on the operations, finances, and vaccination status of the South Simcoe Police Service, the police force that serves both Bradford West Gwillimbury and Innisfil.

A survey of members determined that 95 percent are currently fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

“For the small number who are not, we’ll have to put a policy in place, for testing and monitoring,” said Police Chief Andrew Fletcher.

“How are we dealing with them?” asked board member Lynn Dollin, mayor of Innisfil, referring to the five percent who have yet to receive a COVID vaccine.

Fletcher said that the police service will be following the guidance of the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, and requiring unvaccinated officers and employees to do a COVID assessment prior to coming into work, and wear a face mask and practice social distancing when in contact with others.

Testing may also be required on a regular basis, at the expense of the employee.

“We are not moving to termination,” Chief Fletcher said unless the actions amount to insubordination.

In answer to the inquiry, a spokesperson for the South Simcoe Police later indicated that “there have been a few members of the Service who have contracted the virus, but we are not prepared to disclose any further information about those as they are private health matters.”

Those members who contracted the virus did so while off duty and did not return to work until cleared. There has been no public exposure through the South Simcoe Police.

Adblock test (Why?)

Five percent of South Simcoe Police employees are still unvaccinated - BradfordToday
Read More

Volleyball Plays Another Five-Set Battle Falling Just Short In Montana - WOU Athletics

Next Match:

at Seattle Pacific University

10/2/2021 | 2:00 PM

BILLINGS, Mont. – For the fifth time this season, the Western Oregon University volleyball team played all five sets in a match. On Thursday night, the Wolves held a 2-1 lead before Montana State Billings rallied for the 3-2 victory (25-21, 23-25, 17-25, 25-17, 15-6) in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action inside Alterowitz Gym.

In the opening set, WOU (2-9, 0-4 GNAC) moved out to a 3-2 lead with Lauren Smith and Isabel Hurliman tallying kills. Following a service ace by Aubrey Stanton, the Wolves were out to an 8-5 lead. Montana State Billings (5-8, 2-3 GNAC) turned it around and moved in front 17-13. After WOU recorded the next point, the Yellowjackets scored the next five points to stretch the lead to 22-14. WOU made one final push coming back with seven of the next eight points to pull to within two. Hurliman, Madison Hornback and Makenzie York all tallied points around a few MSUB errors that had WOU back to 23-21. The Yellowjackets then closed the set getting a kill and an attacking error for the 25-21 opening set win.

MSUB moved out to a 5-2 lead in the second set. The Yellowjackets continued to push getting ahead 10-5. Down 11-7, WOU came back with the next five points to grab the lead. Bailee Hartsook started the run with a kill, Bella MacLellan added a solo block and then MacLellan and Hartsook combined for a double-block to end the rally that left WOU with a 12-11 lead. After a service error evened the set, WOU went on another big run, this time a 6-0 variety, with Hartsook posting a kill, Stanton with a service ace, MacLellan a kill and after a few errors, Stanton finished the run with a service ace that had WOU with a 18-12 lead. MSUB kept fighting back, recording 11 of the next 15 points to pull in front 23-22. After a timeout by the Wolves, WOU answered with the next three points to take the set. Following an attack error, Hartsook tallied a kill and then double-block by Stanton and York gave WOU the second set at 25-23 to even the match at one.

WOU used the momentum from that set and started out the third set on a 7-0 run. Hartsook, MacLellan and Smith all had points around a few errors from the 'Jackets during the run. WOU kept pressing with Ally Henry spinning in a service ace and then kills from Hurliman and Smith had the Wolves looking at a 12-3 advantage. MSUB looked to get right back in it answering with the next five points to leave WOU with a 12-8 lead. Smith helped stop the Yellowjackets run with a kill and after adding another kill she combined for a double-block with York to move WOU to a 16-8 lead. The Wolves would remain in control the rest of the set with MacLellan tallying a kill before an attack error by the Yellowjackets sent WOU to the 25-17 third set win and 2-1 match lead.

MSUB didn't go away jumping out to a 7-3 lead in the fourth set. WOU got back to within three at 9-6 before the Yellowjackets ripped off the next seven points to take a 16-6 lead. Down the stretch, Hurliman posted a couple of kills and a service ace by Smith kept things close, but it was too much Yellowjackets as they claimed the set at 25-17 to force a decisive fifth set.

In the decisive fifth set, the teams were tied at two early with Hartsook and Smith recording kills for the Wolves. MSUB caught fire after that scoring the next eight points to move ahead at 10-2. York and Hurliman tallied kills over the next several points, but the deficit was too much to overcome with MSUB closing out the set win at 15-6 and taking the match at 3-2.

Overall for the match, WOU tallied 49 kills to 30 errors in 160 chances to hit .119. MSUB recorded 60 kills to 30 errors in 158 chances to hit .190. WOU held the edge in blocks (8-7) and the teams tied in service aces (9-9). MSUB held the edge in assists (53-48) and in digs (68-59).

Hurliman went for her fifth double-double of the season posting 16 kills and 17digs. Hartsook and Smith added 12 kills apiece. Smith hit .370 for the match with just two errors in 27 total swings. Stanton dished out 38 assists, while on defense, Sophie Matlock added 14 digs and both MacLellan and York sent back four blocks, with MacLellan recording two solo blocks.

Bayli Monck led MSUB with a game-high 21 kills. Joelle Mahowald added 14 kills and Skylar Reed tallied 13 kills. Hannah Hashbarger dished out 43 assists, while on defense Christine Funk posted 26 digs and Hannah Hayden sent back six blocks.

WOU will remain on the road this Saturday when they will play at Seattle Pacific starting at 2 p.m. The Falcons defeated Saint Martin's in straight sets earlier on Thursday.

Print Friendly Version

Adblock test (Why?)

Volleyball Plays Another Five-Set Battle Falling Just Short In Montana - WOU Athletics
Read More

Five headlines for Friday morning - moosejawtoday.com

Here are 5 stories we are highlighting this morning.

1. Blue Jays lose to Yankees in rubber game as Toronto's wild-card chances take a hit

2. Former fashion leader Peter Nygard's extradition hearing on U.S. sex charges to begin

3. Quebec's overhaul of its strict French-language law under microscope at hearings

4. Fire in Romanian hospital kills at least 9 people

5. Police: Human remains could be Iowa boy who vanished in May

For all the latest national and international news, as well as sports, keep visiting MooseJawToday.com and scroll down our page for the headlines.

Adblock test (Why?)

Five headlines for Friday morning - moosejawtoday.com
Read More

Five Things You Need to Know to Start Your Day - Bloomberg

Pelosi tries again, markets start to worry about safety of U.S. debt, and a check on inflation.

Infighting 

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi plans to try again today for a vote on the $550 billion bipartisan infrastructure bill which progressives in her party have held up as they want President Joe Biden’s $3.5 trillion package passed first. While there was a small win for Congress with the aversion of a government shutdown yesterday, the standoff over the larger spending proposals in proving a stern test for Biden’s negotiating skills. White House officials expressed optimism that the infrastructure bill would pass today.

Debt ceiling

The debt ceiling standoff is starting to be taken more seriously by markets with only 17 days left to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s deadline for a deal to avoid default. Speaking to the House Financial Services Committee yesterday she said there may be a few extra day’s grace on the deadline, but reiterated a default would be “ catastrophic” for the country. The Washington-based Institute of International Finance said in a report that U.S. debt appears to already be losing favor as a haven, while Germany and Japan remain popular. Investors are demanding a premium to hold bills that come due in October and November, with those instruments having noticeably higher yields. 

Prices

Inflation in the euro area hit 3.4% in September, a 13-year high, with core prices accelerating 1.9% when volatile components like fuel and food are excluded. There’s not much hope for an easing of inflationary pressures in the short term with natural gas prices hitting another record high this morning and China pushing energy firms to secure supplies at all costs. For the U.S., data due later is expected to show some short term relief with the core PCE deflator forecast to drop slightly to 3.5%. 

Markets drop

Yesterday’s miserable end to the last quarter for stocks has set the tone for the start of this one with major global equity gauges all in the red. While China and Hong Kong were closed for the holiday, Japan’s Topix index closed 2.2% lower. In Europe, the Stoxx 600 Index had slipped 0.9% by 5:50 a.m. Eastern Time with investors preferring defensive names. S&P 500 futures pointed to more losses at the open, the 10-year Treasury yield was at 1.484%, oil moved lower towards $74 a barrel and gold was down slightly. 

Coming up... 

The U.S. PCE report and Canadian GDP for July are at 8:30 a.m. September manufacturing PMI is at 9:45 a.m. with ISM manufacturing and University of Michigan sentiment for the month at 10:00 a.m. The latest Baker Hughes rig count is at 1:00 p.m. Auto sales for September are expected to show a significant decline from the same period last year. Philadelphia Fed President Patrick Harker and Cleveland Fed President Loretta Mester speak later. 

What we've been reading

Here's what caught our eye over the last 24 hours.

And finally, here’s what Katie’s interested in this morning

Watching nominal Treasury yields has been entertaining enough, but as it often is, the real action is under the hood. So-called real rates -- the yield on Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities, which strip out the effects of price pressures -- have been making a run for it. While still deeply negative, 10-year real rates careened roughly 14 basis points higher in September, building on August’s nearly 15 basis point jump.

There are a few potential reasons why. Real yields are often viewed as a proxy for growth expectations, but that’s probably not the proper takeaway given that the TIPS market is in such a “weird spot” at the moment after eighteen months of the Federal Reserve’s bond-buying, according to Jefferies economist Thomas Simons.

“Post-September FOMC, there’s been a big shift in inflation expectations. It was viewed as pretty hawkish, which has reduced the demand for inflation protection,” Simons said. And then there’s the whole turbocharged taper to worry about. “TIPS liquidity is so spotty, the market has the potential to take a hit in the tapering process without Fed support too.”

Even still, there’s probably some economic signal to glean from the rise in real yields as the “back to office” narrative begins to pick up steam again, according to Ben Jeffery at BMO. The jump is “a function of renewed growth optimism as the delta wave abates,” he said.

Follow Bloomberg's Katie Greifield on Twitter at  @kgreifeld

Like Bloomberg's Five Things? Subscribe for unlimited access to trusted, data-based journalism in 120 countries around the world and gain expert analysis from exclusive daily newsletters, The Bloomberg Open and The Bloomberg Close.

Adblock test (Why?)

Five Things You Need to Know to Start Your Day - Bloomberg
Read More